The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-11-06

could not stay in. walked at a lesurely pace
along the Via Allesandro Mouzoni till my
eve was caught by the grand Galleria
Vittorio Emanuele, and I entered under
the high glass arcades till l reached the
group or chairs placed there. Becoming accus-
toned to the stream OF promenaders, soon oh
served. seated on the chairs opposite Caroline
and Charles. This was the first occasion on which
had seen them en- tete tete since my conversa-
ton with him. She soon caught sight of me;
averted her eyes; then, apparently abandoning
herself to an impulse, she jumped up from her
seat and came across to me. We had not spoken
to each other since the meeting in Venice.
Alicia" she said sitting down by my side.
sCharles asks me to forgive you, and do for
give you
/ pressed her hand. with tears in my eyes,
and said.
.And do you fe rci We himp
- Yes, said size, shyly
"And what's the resultW said L
homen
This was almost the whole of our converse
ton; she walked home with me- Charles follow
ing little way behind, though she kept turning
ner mead as II anxious that he should oyertake
u.s. Honor and not love- seemed to ring in my
ears So matters stand. Caroline is again
happy.
April 25-We have reached home Charles
with us. Events are now moving in silent speed,
almost with velocity, indeed; and l sometimes
feel oppressed by the strange and preternatural
ease which seems to accompany their flow.
Charles is staying at the nelghborin town; he
is only waiting for the marriage licenses when
obtained he is to come here, be quietly married
to her, and carry her off. 1t is rather resieua-
ton than content which sits on his face; but he
has not spoken a word more to me on the burn
ing subject or deviated one hairs breadth from
the course he laid down. They NAV be happy in
time to come; hope So But cannot shake off
depression
May 6-Eve of the wedding Caroline is
serenely happy, though not blithe But there
is nothing to excite anxiety about her. / wish
coule say the same of him. He comes and
goes like ghost, and yet nobody seems to OBJ
serve this strangeness in his mien. could
not help being here for the ceremony;
but my absence would have resulted IN
less dsquiet on his part, 1 believe. However, I
may be wrong in attributine causes; my father
simply says that Charles and Caroline have as
good a chance of being happy other people
Well, tomorrow settles all.
May They married; have Just
turned from the church. Charles looked so pale
this morning that nv father asked him if he
was i'll He said, mo, only a slight headache"
and we started for the church. There
hitch or hindrance; and the thing is DONE
p. M.-They ought to have set out on their
journey by this time: but there is an unac
countable delay. Charles went out half hour
ago, and has not yet returned. Caroline is
waiting in the hall; but 1 am dreadfully afraid
they will miss the train. 1 suppose the trifng
hlndrance IS of no account; and yet am full of
September 14-Four months have passed;
only four months! It seems like years. Can it
be that only seventeen weeks ago set on this
paper the fact of their marriage7 l am now an
aged woman by com parison!
On that never-to- be forgotten day we waited
anu waited. and Charles did not return. At 6
o'clock. when poor little Caroline had gone back
to her room in q state of suspense possible
describe. a man who worked in the water-mead-
ows came to the house and asked for my father.
He had an interview with him in the study.
My father then rang his bell and sent for
the went fas., down and Sh..,d. then learnt
more. The waterman had been going to shut
down the matches or a weir in the meads when
he saw a hat on the edge of the pool below, float
ing round and round in the eddy, and looking
into the pool saw something strange at the bot
tom. He knew what it meant, and lowering the
matches SO that the water was still, could dis
tinctly see the body. 1t is needless to write
particulars that were in the newspapers at the
time. Charles was brought to the house, but he
was dead.
We all feared for Caroline; and she suffered
much; but strange to say, her suffering was
purely of the nature of deep grief which found
relief In sooblng and tears. 1t came out at the
inquest that Charles hau been accustomed to
cross the meads 20 give an occasional haf-crown
to an old man who lived the opposite hill.
who had once been landscape painter in an
humble way till he lost his eyesieht; and it was
assumed that he had gone thither for the same
purpose to-day. and to bid him farewell. On
this information the coroners jury found
tnat his death had been caused by mis-
adventure: ard every body believes to
this hour that he was drowned while crossing
the weir to relieve the old man. Except one;
she believes in no accident After the stunning
effect of the first news thought it strange that
he should have chosen go such an errand
at the last moment, and to go personally, when
there was SO little time to spare, since any gift
could have been SO easily sent by another hand.
Further reflection has convinced me that this
step out of life was as much part of the days
plan as was the wedding in the church hard by
They were the two halves of his complete inten-
ton when he gave me the Grand Canal that
assurance which shall never forget Very
well. then; honor shall be my word, not love.
If she srys Yes the marriage shall be"
do not know why should have made this
entry at this particular time; but it has oc-
cured to me to do ito complete, in q measure, |
that part of my desultory chronicle which re- |
ates to the love story of my sister and Charles.
She lives on meeklv in her grief, and will prob
ably outlve it; while but never mind me.
X.-SHE ADDS NOTE LONG AFTER.
Five Years Later have lighted upon this old |
larry, which it has interested me to look over |
ION tanning as it does, records of the time when
ife shone more warmly in my eye than it does
low. l am impelled to add one sentence to
ound of its records of the past. About year
go my sister Caroline, after persistent WOO
ng, accepted the hand and heart of Theophilus
1ighman, once the blushing young Scripture
eader who assisted at the substitute for a mar
iage planned, and is now the fully ordained
urate of the next parish. His peniten ce for the
art he played ended in love. We have all now
made atonement for our sins against her; NAV
he be deceived no more
THE END.